This
site provides the most thoroughly researched and practiced silver
care information on the Internet. I'm on constant lookout for the
safest, most earth-friendly, and effective products. I would advise
reading this entire guide before cleaning and polishing your
silver. If at some point you need to refresh yourself with a
technique, that's when the individual links will come in handy.

1. To avoid
damaging your silver, clean it only when you don't feel rushed. I've
restored many a candelabrum arm that was broken off in haste.

2. If you
are looking for someone to clean your silver, choose an individual
with experience. Ask about what methods and polishes they will use.
If you require assistance, please contact
me.

3. Always
polish/clean your silver on a sturdy work surface covered by a cotton
towel as illustrated in this
image. If the work surface is made of wood or other porous material,
lay a piece of plastic under the towel.

4.
Keep your polish container closed when not in use, and
dont use polishes that have dried-up. In
order to keep your water-based polish staying creamy if stored for an
extended period, add a little distilled water (not tap water) to top
it off.

8. Always
try to support a teapot or coffeepot by the bottom when holding it by
the handle.

9. If your
silver is tarnished to an extent that it requires a commercial
polish, use only polishes made specifically for silver. (See section
on Cleaning Silver.)

10.
Cleaning silver in a dishwasher is not advised, as the heat and harsh
detergents will eventually whiten the silver, causing it to require
professional refinishing. In addition, dishwashers can cause blades
to explode out of hollow-handled knives. (See section on Silver
& Dishwashers.)

11.
Silver flatware used on a daily basis will require little or no
polishing. Hand wash with a non-lemon-scented phosphate-free
detergent and dry them immediately to avoid spotting.

12. When
storing your flatware, rotate the pieces so they will wear uniformly.

13.
Salt is extremely corrosive to silver; always empty vessels and wash
them when not used on a regular basis. (See section on Salt
Vessel Corrosion.)

14.
When cleaning or inserting a candle into a candelabrum, support the
arms from underneath to avoid distortion or possible breakage.

15.
Do not cut food on a solid silver or silver-plated tray. Cutting
lines (and possibly linear dents) will decrease the object's value.
Plus, on a plated piece, you will very easily cut through the
plating, exposing the base metal. Instead, cut the meat on a cutting
board and place it on the tray.

16.
If your objects contain wood, ivory, mother of pearl, etc., apply two
coats of Renaissance wax on those surfaces. Let each coat set for 15
minutes, then buff with a paper towel. This archival quality
microcrystalline wax will seal these components and help prevent them
from rotting and drying out.

17.
Hold a piece of white paper up to the piece you're polishing as the
reflection will reveal if there isadditional tarnish
that needs to be removed.Just be sure you are not mistaking firestain
for tarnish. (Read about firestain here.)

18. Silver
is best stored in treated flannel bags which draw away the sulfur
from the silver it's protecting. Alternatively, you can wrap your
silver in acid-free tissue or paper then placed in a Ziploc or other
polyethylene bag with an anti-tarnish strip. Keep the silver in a
dry, well-ventilated, safe area and use silica gel
to help absorb dampness. Cutlery should be wrapped individually and
placed side by side, rather than piled up.

Below:
The right side of this 15" wide sterling high chair tray
was polished with Earth Friendly Silver Polish (replaced with
Herman's Simply Clean Collectors Silver Polish). If I had used Blitz
Silver Shine Polish, the same side would look a bit glossier because
of its tarnish protective ingredient. Polishing, rinsing, and drying
time: 2 minutes.

19.
If your silver was involved in a flood, gently shake any piece
that might have hollow spaces (e.g., sockets on teapots and
coffeepots that contain ivory heat insulators or wooden handles,
hollow handles on some flatware, hollow rims, and candlestick cups
with double walls). If you can hear water swishing within these
areas, contact a qualified restorer (for referrals, ask a museum with
a large silver collection or an antique silver dealer).

20.
If the object has no hollow areas, rinse it well to remove any dirt
or grit. When the piece feels clean to the touch, wash it with a
cellulose sponge, using a non-lemon-scented phosphate-free,
antibacterial detergent and warm water.

21.
If rust is present on carbon steel knife blades of older pieces, or
on the worn edges of knife blades coated with silver, do not use
steel wool or Navel Jelly to remove it!

Silver, when properly maintained,
will yield generations of enjoyment. The following cleaning
instructions have been tried and proven in my silver restoration &
conservation studio. They are suited for gold as well as silver.
silver-plated and gold-plated items should be treated very gingerly,
as too-vigorous cleaning can remove the plating and expose the base metal.

Tarnish is caused by contact with
sulfur compounds, mainly hydrogen sulfide in the air. Other common
culprits are wool, felt, fossil fuels, rubber bands, latex gloves,
carpet padding, certain paints, and food (particularly eggs, onions,
and mayonnaise). Tarnish formation is accelerated in a humid
environment. Also, oily salts from fingers can cause corrosion
patterns that may have to be professionally removed.

BEFORE cleaning or
polishing your silver: If your objects contain wood, ivory, mother of
pearl, etc., apply two coats of Renaissance wax. Let each coat set
for 15 minutes, then buff with a paper towel. This archival quality
microcrystalline wax will seal these components when cleaning and
help prevent them from rotting and drying out.

Gently wash and dry your silver
immediately after use. While washing, do not allow silver to come
into contact with a metal sink, as that can cause scratching. (Use a
plastic dishpan or line the sink with a towel.) Use a
non-lemon-scented phosphate-free detergent and, to avoid water spots,
towel-dry using a soft cotton dish towel or Selvyt cloth. Silver that
is used frequently and washed in this manner will require infrequent
tarnish removal. When storing your flatware, rotate the pieces so
they will wear uniformly.

Occasionally cleaning an object
is preferred to waiting until heavy tarnish forms and polishes have
to be employed. (All polishes have some degree of abrasion.) You can
catch tarnish in its earliest stage if you hold an object next
to a piece of white paper. If tarnish has started to form, you
will see a very light yellowish tint on the silver. Try removing this
light tarnish with either diluted Dawn Dishwashing Liquid
(citrus-free) on a cellulose sponge, a 100% plant-based glass cleaner
like Better Life Natural Glass Cleaner (my personal favorite), or
aloe-free hand sanitizer on a cotton ball, makeup pad, or cotton
towel. If the hand sanitizer leaves a residue, rinse it off with warm
water or remove it with a moistened cotton towel, then dry
immediately. If water doesn't work, use the glass cleaner. Try this
technique first as it will remove absolutely no metal. Try using this
glass cleaner on your jewelry and other metal objects as well.

Below is a Tiffany sterling bowl
that was cleaned with Better Life Natural Glass Cleaner (right). If
tarnish remains use one of the Least
Abrasive Silver Polishes.

After using
Herman's Simply Clean Silver Polish.

Always
remove dried polish and grime from crevices and ornament on
previously polished pieces before repolishing. Run warm (not hot)
water over the dried polish and use a tampico (made from fibers of
the agave plant), horsehair, or natural white boar bristle brush
(found in most hardware stores) and lightly "tap" out the
polish. Shorten the bristles if you need added stifness (see below).
This will lift the polish away from the object with no or minimal
abrasion. Never use a dry brush when removing dry polish as it will
create scratches. If there are porous elements on your piece (wood,
ivory, other of pearl, etc.), wet a Q-tip and apply the water to the
polish. Allow the polish to soften then lift it out by tapping with a
wet brush. A wet toothpick will get into the smallest areas.

If your piece is more tarnished,
use one of the commercial silver cleaners, some of which provide
tarnish protection. Use the least abrasive product possible. Polishes
that are meant to be washed off are less abrasive because they use a
liquid to suspend the polishing ingredients.

The least abrasive of the
commercial cleaners are Blitz Silver Care Polish (preferred
for its combination of tarnish protection and its ease of use:
apply/rinse/buff and apply/let dry/buff); Hermaqn's Simply Clean
Collectors Silver Polish (preferred for maintaining the object's
original finish & extremely mild abrasiveness);
3M's Tarni-Shield Silver Polish, or Twinkle Silver Polish. If you are
thinking of using polishes other than what I just listed, please
please refer to Silver
Polish Abrasion Ratings.

If, after cleaning your silver
(not silverplate) piece, a purplish stain remains, do not mistake
this stain for tarnish! Attempting to remove it will only damage
your prized piece. This is firestain,
which is oxidized copper, and can be found on many pre-colonial
through early twentieth century pieces. It is not generally seen on
pieces that have been produced by the large American silver companies
after the early 1900s, but many one-person silversmithing shops still
use this technique. I will not get into the technicalities of
firestain here, but the stain is usually obscured with fine silver
either by silver plating the object or through a process called
depletion. The firestain under this fine silver layer, which may be a
few thousandths of an inch thick, may not show up until after many
years of polishing. Consult with a restoration silversmith if this
happens to one of your pieces.

Use the following method
if you are polishing near unwaxed or cracked components (wood, ivory,
mother of pearl, felt, etc.) or with no available water:

Wooden handles & finials,
ivory insulators, and felt used on the bottoms of candlesticks and
compotes can become damaged when introduced to excess moisture. For
objects with such components, use Blitz Silver Shine
Polish. Use this polish also for hollow areas that will not
dry (beaded rims, handle sockets with minute holes, etc.), or if
there is no source of water. Use a large cotton ball, cotton makeup
pad, or cotton swab with the smallest amount of polish necessary and
rotate the ball or pad regularly to expose unused surfaces. Rub the
object in a straight, back-and-forth manner so as to maintain a
uniform appearance. Avoid rubbing in a circular motion. Let the
polish dry and remove it with a Selvyt cloth (preferred) or cotton
dish towel. Selvyt is a lint-free, untreated, 100% cotton wiping
cloth which is also excellent for highlighting ornament with no
polish applied.

Use the following method
if you are polishing an object without porous components
or components that have been sealed with Renaissance
wax:

Rinse the object first to remove
any pollution that may have settled on the object. These
contaminants, which may be more abrasive than the polish you will be
using, can actually scratch the silver if rubbed into the surface.
Use a cellulose sponge (not Scotch-Brite plastic sponges or the soft
plastic sponges that come with some silver polishes) and apply Blitz
Silver Shine Polish or Herman's Simply Clean. If you feel it
necessary to protect your hands from moisture, use nitrile gloves
which contain no ingredients that tarnish silver. Do not use latex
gloves! Rub the object in a straight, back-and-forth manner so as to
maintain a uniform appearance. Avoid rubbing in a circular motion.
Rotate the sponge regularly to expose unused surfaces then rinse. If
the tarnish is particularly heavy, a cotton ball or cotton makeup pad
will speed the removal process. Flattened cotton swab heads with very
little silver polish applied are excellent for cleaning between
fork tines. Silver polish can also be used on unflattened cotton
swabs to remove tarnish from inside coffeepot spouts and the like.

Dried polish can be removed by
patting the area with a warm wet cotton ball or a wet horsehair or
natural boar bristle brush. Rinse the object with warm water, and
then dry with a Selvyt cloth or cotton dish towel immediately to
avoid spotting. I advise using untreated heavyweight cotton
inspection gloves to avoid finger prints when cleaning and storing
your freshly cleaned objects.

Chain mail (also known as
chainmail or chain maille) is one of those items that can perplex
most collectors when it comes to polishing. Some will reach for a
chemical dip because it removes tarnish quickly, but will end up
results like these. Others will use a paste
polish that may end up drying within the mesh after buffing. The
following instructions are for polishing chain mail without fabric
attachments. Chain mail with fabric attachments requires assistance
from a conservator.

Place a cotton bar mop (a kitchen
towel with a low pile), on your kitchen counter. If the chain mail is
very dirty, run it under warm water and dry it first. If it has dried
polish, run it under warm water and tap out the polish with one
of these two brushes, dry it, then place the object on the towel.

If there is very light tarnish,
try using a 100% plant-based glass cleaner like Better Life Natural
Glass Cleaner (my personal favorite), or aloe-free hand sanitizer. If
the hand sanitizer leaves a residue, rinse it off with warm water or
remove it with a moistened cotton towel, then dry immediately. If
water doesn't work, use the glass cleaner then gently pat dry with a
clean bar mop. Try this technique first, as it will remove absolutely
no metal.

If this technique doesn't remove
the tarnish, use Blitz Silver Shine Polish on a cotton makeup pad,
constantly exposing clean areas on the pad to clean with. Remove the
polish with warm water (again, try the hand sprayer) then wipe the
object with a bar mop until you see no polish left on the towel. The
Blitz will leave a non-toxic, invisible tarnish protectant.

Toothpaste should NEVER be used
as a silver polish. Some toothpastes contain baking soda or other
ingredients which are much too abrasive; even trace amounts can cause
serious damage. Use polishes that are specifically formulated to
remove tarnish from silver.

Chemical dips, such as Tarn-X,
work by dissolving the tarnish on an object at an accelerated rate They
work by dissolving the tarnish (and silver!) on an object at an
accelerated rate.

Chemical dips will
quickly remove factory-applied patinas (if left in the solution for
more than a few seconds) or gradually (if dipped quickly each time
the object requires cleaning). You'll notice a soft white surface
develop over time.

Chemical dips will
cause pitting of the object's surface. These surface defects will act
like a sponge and more readily absorb tarnish-producing gases and
moisture. The object will eventually require professional polishing
and possibly repatination to restore the original finish.

Chemical dips are
made up of acidified thiourea (a strongly
suspectedcarcinogen).
Acids are corrosive and will damage silver, niello, bronze,
stainless steel knife blades, and organic materials such as wood and ivory.

This process, known as
electrochemical (galvanic) reduction, uses aluminum foil (or an
aluminum plate); a ceramic or other non-heat-sensitive bowl or pan;
sodium carbonate (washing soda) or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda);
and boiling water. The aluminum is placed in the bottom of the bowl
with either the washing soda or baking soda distributed on the
aluminum surface. Boiling water is then poured over the powder and
the sterling, coin silver, .800 (or other silver-copper alloy) object
is immersed. When the object comes into contact with the
aluminum in the solution, the tarnish (silver sulfide) is converted
back to silver. And as with silver dips,
factory-applied patinas will be dissolved. These pieces will
eventually require repatinating. Case in point: The top fork
(pictured above) was not polished. The lower fork is another piece
from the same lot that was left in the baking soda solution for only
two minutes resulting in stripped factory-applied patina. The
whiteness is the result from copper that was etched (as seen under
10X magnification) from the sterling, leaving fine silver behind.
This action will happen to both tarnished and polished silver. (Note:
washing soda etches more severely than baking soda.) Pieces cleaned
may tarnish more quickly than silver that has been polished with a
paste or liquid, for the object's rough surface will act like a
sponge and more readily absorb tarnish-producing gases and moisture.
This same solution can also seep into hollow areas such as coffeepot
and teapot handle sockets, unsoldered spun beads around the tops and
bottoms of some holloware, and weighted pieces with minute holes that
developed from over polishing. Another not-so-obvious problem is
scratching of the object when dragged over the aluminum. For all
these reasons this tarnish removal technique is not recommended.

Place the pot in the sink with a
cotton towel underneath and fill the pot with warm water. Drop in one
five-minute denture cleaning tablet (about five cents each) per two
cups of water. Let stand for ten minutes. If it looks like the pot
may overflow because of the effervescence, pour out some liquid
through the spout (don't allow the liquid to run down the outside of
the pot). When the ten minutes is up, empty the pot through the spout
then rinse with warm water. You may find that the effervescing action
of the tablets may remove only the grime and not the stains. Use a
moist cellulose sponge and non-lemon-scented phosphate-free detergent
to remove any remaining grime, then rinse with warm water. (The
natural fibers of the Greener are more gentle than Scotch-Brite's
blue non-scratch sponge.) If the pot opening isn't big enough to fit
your hand, make a swab by wrapping the sponge or pad on the end of a
wooden dowel and secure the upper end with electrical tape.

If stains remain, moisten the
sponge (not the scrub side) and apply a liberal amount of Wright's
Silver Cream, then wipe away the stain and rinse the pot with warm
water. Wright's is an excellent cleaner for this task because it's
much less abrasive than commercial cleaners that are not meant
specifically for silver. Don't use powdered abrasive cleaners as they
will impart fine scratches which will attract more dirt. Don't use
steel wool (too abrasive and rust may result on the bottom),
Scotch-Brite abrasive pads or dips (too toxic  see section on Chemical
Dips). A cotton swab with a small amount of Wright's will remove
stains within the spout opening. Fill the pot with warm water and
rinse out any polish that may remain in the spout.

Those crusty encrustation marks
on and in your salt shaker, open salt, or other vessel can be a real
annoyance. Encrustation is different from tarnish in the way it
feels. Run your finger over the area and you'll feel a crusty mass.
This cannot be removed with silver polish. One way to avoid this
problem from the very start is to remove the salt after a dinner
party and thoroughly wash it; this way the salt doesn't have time to
do its damage. Heavily gold plating the interior is the only other
way to preserve the finish because gold is impervious to the effects
of salt. It is still wise to clean out a shaker at least twice a year
and inspect the plate to make sure it has not been abraded by the salt.

There is a simple way to remove
the encrustation yourself. Do this in a well-ventilated area and
with nitrile gloves since you will be using ammonia. When
removing this material from a piece, pour ammonia into a container,
place the object inside, and cover the container. Let it sit for ten
minutes, then remove from the container, rinse thoroughly with warm
water, then inspect. If the black or green spots remain, place the
piece back in the ammonia and let stand for another ten minutes,
rinse, and inspect again. If the encrustation has not dissolved after
a third soaking, have the shaker professionally conserved. If you are
able to remove it successfully, you'll probably notice a slight
graying of the silver. If this occurs, start
by using the one of the least
abrasive silver polishesto
bring back the object's luster. When restoring the
finish to a piece of silver, always invest more time using a gentle
silver polish over getting quicker results with a more abrasive
silver polish.

If your piece contains
encrustation and is larger than a salt vessel, please contact
me for instructions.

Do you become
frustrated when trying to remove wax from your candle holders? Do you
go pawing into your flatware drawer to find just the right size knife
to dig out the wax which produces scratches and possible dents in the
bottom of the cup? Do you run the piece under warm water, only to
create a big mess? Well, here are some simple, non-invasive techniques.

This
method can be used for
lacquered candle holders...

Put the piece in
your freezer. Upon removing, use your fingernail or popsicle stick
(not a knife) to delicately chip off the wax. If residue remains,
remove it with grain alcohol using a paper towel, cotton ball, or
makeup pad. Do not use a hair dryer or heat gun as it may blister the lacquer!

This method and
the one above can be used for weighted and non-weighted candle
holders without lacquer...

Use your hair
dryer (but not a heat gun) to gently warm the candle cup or other
area coated with wax. Be careful not to get the object too hot, for
if the candle holder is filled with pitch (a low-melting cement), it
will melt. Lightly touch the area with your fingertip to make sure
it's not too hot; then lightly wipe off the wax with a soft paper
towel, cotton ball, or makeup pad. When cleaning out a candle cup on
a candelabra, support the cup with your hand to prevent bending the
arm. If the opening is too small for your finger, gently stuff the
paper towel into the cup and twist. If there is a large build-up of
wax, square off the end of a popsicle stick and remove the wax as
it's warmed by the hair dryer. Cotton swabs also work very well,
especially on Hanukkah lamps with very small candle cups. Use as much
fresh paper towel or as many cotton swabs as needed; otherwise, you
will continually reapply the wax you are removing.

Use dripless
candles whenever possible and remove any wax residue from candle
holders after each use. Using these techniques will greatly reduce
maintenance time.

Note: Products like
Acetone, Goo Gone, Krud Cutter, Goof Off, and WD-40 will remove wax
residue more quickly, but are less environmentally-friendly. Should
you decide to use these products, make sure to wear nitrile gloves
and perform the task in a well-ventilated area. Always feel free to contact
me should you have questions.

If you just purchased a silver
object with a price label that won't peel off, don't reach for a
scrubby pad or steel wool. Instead, try using a hair dryer on a LOW
setting (a heat gun is too hot) to gently warm the label. (Never use
a hair dryer on lacquered pieces.) The label should now peel off
cleanly. If the label leaves a sticky residue, wait for the piece to
cool and try removing it with some hand sanitizer, canola oil, or
olive oil on a cotton ball or makeup pad. If that fails, place a
cotton ball or makeup pad saturated with oil on the residue and let
it sit for one hour (don't worry, the oils won't harm your silver).
If it didn't work, try this method again until the adhesive has
dissolved and wipe away with a paper towel, cotton ball, or makeup
pad. Use Better Life Natural Glass Cleaner (which has a neutral pH)
to remove any signs of the oil. If a discolored spot remains where
the adhesive had been, remove it with Blitz Silver Shine Polish.

Note: Products like
Acetone, Goo Gone, Krud Cutter, Goof Off, and WD-40 will remove
adhesive residue more quickly, but are less environmentally-friendly.
Should you decide to use these products, make sure to wear nitrile
gloves and perform the task in a well-ventilated area.

KEEP SILVER OUT OF THE DISHWASHER!
It's that simple. There are four major reasons for keeping your
prized sterling and silverplate out of the "chamber of doom:"

(1) Any factory-applied patina
(the blackening in recessed areas) will eventually be removed.

(2) The harsh detergent, combined
with the washer's high cleaning temperature, is much too abrasive for
silverit will eventually turn it grey or white, with a dull,
non-reflective surface.

(3) Most older and some repaired
hollow-handled knives are filled with pitch. This low-melting cement
will expand with heat, possibly forcing open a thin solder seam, or
exploding the knife blade out of the handle.

(4) Silver that touches stainless
in the dishwasher can create a chemical reaction, producing black
spots or pitting on the stainless and possibly requiring the silver
to be professionally refinished.

Sterling, like a fine automobile,
must be handled with tender loving care. You certainly wouldn't drive
your Rolls Royce through a car wash, would you?

Your primary
consideration should be to keep silver objects clean and free of dust
and surface grime. In addition, the following guidelines will help to
preserve your silvers finish while it is on display or in storage.

To minimize the
formation of tarnish inside display cases, use 3M or Intercept
Anti-Tarnish Strips (see section on 3M &
INTERCEPT ANTI-TARNISH STRIPS) to absorb tarnish-producing gases,
and silica gel (see section on SILICA GEL) to keep
relative humidity low. Certain paints, oils, and fabrics within the
case can accelerate the formation of tarnish. Therefore, if the case
or cabinet is made of wood, the interior surface should be sealed,
preferably with lacquer or water-based polyurethane. If latex paint
is used, allow it to dry for at least four months. See the dramatic
difference when silver is not exposed to tarnish-causing particulate here.

If a silver piece
to be stored is already tarnished, even if it is heavily blackened,
it need not be polished before storing: doing so will only reveal
fresh sterling or fine silver electroplate to be exposed to the
elements. Before storing, wrap each piece in unbuffered tissue paper
(acid-free and of archival quality) or soft acid-free tarnish tissue,
place it in a polyethylene bag such as a Ziploc, toss in a 3M or
Intercept Anti-Tarnish Strip, and seal the bag. This will provide
some protection against changes in relative humidity and create a
barrier against tarnish-producing gases.

Another option is
to wrap the object in a sulfur-absorbing cloth such as Pacific
Silvercloth or Kenized SilverShield flannel (see the independent
testing of the two flannels here)
before putting it in the polyethylene bag. Pacific Silvercloth is
impregnated with microscopic particles of silver, and Kenized
SilverShield contains zinc. Both products attract sulfur well,
thereby preventing much of it from being absorbed by the piece being
stored. Sulfur-absorbing cloth will stay effective for approximately
20 years before they become saturated. You can further protect silver
pieces against tarnish by placing small containers of silica gel (to
absorb moisture) and activated charcoal (to absorb pollutants) in the
polyethylene bag.

Some storage
materials should be avoided. Wrapping in newspaper or binding in
rubber bands can cause deep discoloration that may have to be
professionally removed. Plastic wrap contains tarnish-producing
materials and can also adhere to the silver over time, requiring
solvents to remove. Finally, non-archival cardboard boxes contain
acids that aggressively tarnish silver.

Lacquering silver
and silverplate is generally not recommended for a number of reasons:
1. The individual may not properly prepare the object's surface
to accept the lacquer. 2. It's very difficult to obtain a uniform
coating, even when applied by a professional. 3. If the coating is
not applied well, it may have streaks and small holes, allowing
tarnish to form. 4. Lacquer will eventually yellow and crack,
allowing tarnish to form within the fissures and eventually under the
protective coating. Strong solvents must then be used to remove the
lacquer and the piece refinished. Take a look at these
pieces that were once lacquered.

Because of the
above issues, Renaissance wax  an archival micro-crystalline
product  is recommended. Renaissance will not yellow or crack
and will last for years if handled properly. Renaissance wax is not
as durable as lacquer, so the object should be handled with heavyweight
natural cotton jersey inspection gloves as acid from
fingers may eventually remove it. Since dust can be acidic and
eventually wear through the wax, placing your silver in a closed
display will help insure that particulate will not fall on the
object's surface. Whether inside or outside a display case, every
few months gently wipe the object with a Selvyt cloth or soft
cotton cloth. This will keep the wax or silver polish with tarnish
protectant from breaking down prematurely.

Renaissance wax
should not be used on flatware or other objects that will be used to
eat from. When applying Renaissance, do so in small areas at a time
(no larger than a 3" square). Buff with a soft cotton cloth,
cotton ball, or makeup pad immediately. Overlap each area to insure
the entire surface gets coated.

3M Anti-Tarnish Strips can be
used to absorb tarnish-producing gases. The strips are made from a
45-lb. paper containing activated charcoal. They guard against
corrosion, tarnish, and discoloration by absorbing airborne
pollutants. These strips can also be used to protect objects
containing copper, brass, solder, gold, and tin. 3M strips absorb on
both sides.

Intercept Anti-Tarnish Strips
consist of a polymer matrix with copper bound in its structure. The
effective surface area of copper available for reactions is twice the
size of the polymer strip. The chemical reactions that take place
with Intercept and corrosive gases permanently convert them into
non-reactive compounds in the polymer and purify the enclosed
environment. Intercept creates a neutralized atmosphere which
protects all materials enclosed with it against corrosion and aging.
Moisture that migrates through the packaging material will also be
cleaned of corrosive elements. Intercept reacts with corrosive gases
in less than an hour. The strips, which protect on both sides, should
be placed near the objects to be protected.

Each 3M and Intercept
2"x7" strip will protect an area up to 424 cubic inches,
the approximate size of a flatware chest. Protection time depends on
the nature and permeability of the storage container and on the
pollution level of the surrounding atmosphere. The following
guidelines apply to an average atmosphere: loosely sealed container
(e.g., cardboard box, china cabinet, or flatware chest): 6 months;
moderately sealed container (e.g., lightweight polyethylene bag): 12
months; and tightly sealed container (e.g., low-permeability
polyethylene bag): up to 24 months. The strips should be replaced in
a timely fashion because once they are fully saturated with
pollutants, the strips will become inactive.

Though both of these products
work well, I recommend the Intercept product because 1. It
neutralizes gasses and won't eventually out-gas like the 3M strips,
2. They're not as abrasive if your silver should rub against it.
Intercept claims their strips are non-abrasive, but any plastic that
is rubbed against silver will leave very fine lines which will be
most evident on highly polished objects.

Warning! Though camphor
has been used as a tarnish absorber for many years, it is considered
a poisonous substance.*

Since World War II, silica gel
has been the drying agent of choice by government and industry. It is
safe to use with even the most sensitive materials, including food
and medicineits what is contained in those tiny packets
enclosed in pill bottles and shoe boxes to prevent moisture. It
prevents tarnish- and corrosion-causing condensation within enclosed
areas, such as flatware drawers and china cabinets. Such areas should
be made as vapor-proof as possible.

Despite its name, silica gel is
not a gel, but is in the form of chemically inert man-made granules
containing thousands of tiny crevices that drink up
excess humidity from the air by surface adsorption. A good choice of
product is a canister containing silica gel that turns from blue to
pink when saturated with moisture. Reactivate the gel by drying the
canister in a conventional oven. The reactivation process can be
repeated indefinitely for a lifetime of protection. (Read directions
thoroughly; silica gel dust should not be inhaled.)

Do you own flatware containing
carbon steel components (blades and fork tines)? This is how you can
keep those components from rusting: After dinner, hand wash the
knives in warm water, then dry immediately. Apply a very thin layer
of Burt's
Bees Lip Balm and wipe with a paper towel until there is no
residue left behind. This will keep the blades from rusting. Since
this product is non-toxic, you won't have to wash them prior to use.

  

Credits

A large part of the information
in the sections on Chemical Dips and Silver Display & Storage
was obtained from articles supplied by the Canadian Conservation
Institute, Department of Canadian Heritage, 1030 Innes Rd., Ottawa,
Ontario, Canada K1A OM5, 613/998-3721; Fax: 613/998-4721. Jeffrey
Herman supplied additional information on these topics.

Referrenced
Articles

"Silver-Care and Tarnish Removal,"
CCI Notes No. 9/7 (Ottawa: Canadian Conservation Institute,
1993). This article is not technical and is intended for the
general public.

The video below is an example of
how I polished a Paul Revere
beaker using Earth Friendly Silver Polish (Herman's
Simply Clean Collectors Silver Polish has replaced Earth
Friendly), cotton balls, and the occasional Q-tip. The white
translucent panel in front provided contrast, making tarnish easier
to identify and completely remove. The total polishing time was 30
minutes because of the long-neglected surface. Removing tarnish that
would have formed on these pieces over a period of six months may
have only taken only two minutes.